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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: scale · pitcher · board · season · rule · fine · fan · cabinet

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. season — of the year
  7. scale — in music
  8. rule — government
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. rule — a law
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fine — high quality
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. board — to get on
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. board — a committee
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com